To get a handle on your facilities’ peak utility use, occupancy and building use, install a comprehensive metering energy management system (EMS). This would include the latest software and an energy dashboard.

Monitoring equipment, alone, will not suffice. Collection and processing software are important for retrieving real-time data.

In this way, you’ll be able to monitor everything immediately, take corrective measures to prevent stoppages, and run curative solutions before your entire system shuts down.

2. Get buy-in from stakeholders on what is quantifiable

Share your information with your senior management and occupants – whether they are managers, tenants or customers. They’ll be able to see for themselves inefficiencies, and how much they could save and improve.

Set up an occupant behavioral awareness program – educate your occupants. You’ll need them to consistently support and implement your solutions.

Again, obtain buy-in and support from senior management. If you don’t, your efforts will be wasted.

3. Strategize to fully manage energy use

Your consumption should be evaluated hourly, daily, weekly and annually. Every daypart is important, this will especially enable you to assess and manage the peak-demand periods of consumption.

For example, you might want to strategize on load shifting and limit usage during peak hours. So you must analyze trends regularly to spot irregularities, leaks or excessive usage.

“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.”

-Eleanor Roosevelt

4. Develop an all-inclusive plan

Don’t settle for a simple course of action that can be undertaken quickly and easily. Consider a wide range of changes or solutions to fully conserve energy.

By creating and implementing an action plan, you’ll achieve overall savings for energy, water and system consistency.

5. Parley with vendors

Negotiate with your suppliers for a reduction in rates. You’ll enhance your negotiating position if you know your consumption history and can authoritatively forecast your consumption.

Capitalize on availabilities in arbitrage, curtailment and demand-response programs. Publish requests for proposals from suppliers to obtain the best rates.

To enhance your customer relationships, offer to share success stories or to train them in your techniques.

6. Act with courage

Once you ascertain your needs and determine the solutions, act with courage for any EMS purchases to reduce energy consumption.

Analysis is one thing, but paralysis from too much analysis is a waste of time. Complete your energy audit and move forward.

7. Form strategic alliances

Partner with the right parties to learn and to create your best strategies. Consider partnering with other facility-management folks, energy services companies, thought leaders, associations, government agencies and consultants.

From the Coach’s Corner, here are editor’s picks for management and leadership articles:

Executives Target 5 Technology Threats to Company Value — Corporate executives see new strategic risks as a result of technological changes — from big data and cloud computing to social media — according to a 2013 global Deloitte survey. Deloitte queried more than 300 executives, risk managers and board members — 81 percent said their strategic-management focus has evolved with technology.

4 Strategies for CEOs to Win Their Cyber Security Tug of War — The cyber security tug of war is never ending even though chief executive officers and board members now get the importance of protecting their companies’ information assets. They’ve learned to fear cyber-security threats because they could lose their jobs. If this is all true, why then are there incessant, worldwide cyber attacks?

6 Tips to Turn Your HR Department into a Profit Center — At least 50 percent of a company’s profits are contingent on employee problems. If you have challenges in one department, odds are you have HR issues in other departments. In fact, human capital is the No. 1 reason why CEOs lose sleep. Many businesses often need an objective source of information and expertise from critical thinkers. It’s true you can turn your human resources department into a profit center.

“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.”

-Eleanor Roosevelt

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Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry.